Why The 2014 Honda Crosstour May Not Be As Wretched As I've Been Saying

The 2014 Honda Crosstour.

Last summer, I wrote an especially tough review of the Honda Crosstour.  I suggested that it was ungainly and nearly impossible to see out the rear window.  I also noted that it was based on the previous-generation Accord, the one where Honda had pretty much lost the plot.

Seeing it on the schedule, I mentioned to Navigator that it was among my least favorite cars.  When it arrived, though, she looked at me and said "This isn't all that bad."  That gave me pause, because Navigator is a woman possessed of good taste, good sense and whose opinion I have held in high regard for many, many years.

2014 Honda Crosstour.

Now, I have spatial issues.  It is difficult for me to look at something and see what you can do with it right away.  Navigator has no such issues.  Her brain can look at a space and instantly figure out what and how much of it will fit and in exactly what configuration.

This is a ficus lyrata.  Common name: Fiddle-leaf fig.  Navigator had her eye on one for her front room.  That particular one was just a shade under six feet tall. I would have said "pickup truck" or "minivan" if asked what we'd need to get that from point A to point B. Navigator looked at the Crosstour and said "This'll work."

2014 Honda Crosstour cargo space,

It did.  The fold-down rear seats, relatively low floor and comparatively high roof of the Crosstour made it a breeze.  Of course, it would have been just as easy in a Honda Odyssey minivan, which looks prettier, gets exactly the same mileage (19 city/28 highway in V6 form) and carries more people.

But....what if you don't want or need a minivan? What if you want an Accord sedan with some additional capacity that you'll use from time to time?  Opening my brain up to that possibility makes it tougher for me to be as harsh on the Crosstour as I was last time around.

The particulars: Ours was a 2014 Crosstour EX-L with Navigation. Top of the line. Base price $37,240.  Everything standard, no options.  With $830 destination and handling, the bottom line was $38,070. The standard equipment list would make your head explode.  You can see it here.

I still think it's unfortunately styled.  I'm not a fan of the last-generation Accord on which it's based (the current-generation is one of TireKicker's Best Cars...see right-hand column).  I'd just grab an Odyssey (although an equally-loaded Odyssey is significantly more expensive, as we'll see in an upcoming review), but it's clear to me that there are people for whom the Crosstour makes more sense.

Acura has killed its version of this, the ZDX.  Honda, if you're going to keep the Crosstour in the lineup, can you do one based on the current-gen Accord...and make it prettier?